AURORA TRIED to act as if nothing happened on the Airstrip. But she couldn't: Peterkin was dead, Sarah hadn't called, and Rory couldn't get that image out of her mind. She washed her hands repeatedly, trying to get the blood off of her raw skin. She looked in the bathroom mirror, not even recognising herself. Rory was her own stranger.
Someone knocked at the bathroom door and it slowly opened. JJ smiled slightly, "Hey, Rory. John B's heading down to the station. You coming or staying?"
"I'll go." Aurora replied, her voice raspy and sore from what had happened.
"You sure?" He questioned, and Rory looked down at her hands again. Tears blurred her vision, as JJ grabbed a towel to dry her hands. He bent down to her eyeline, drying her hands, "Are you okay?"
Aurora hesitated before shaking her head, "I-I couldn't save her, J. I watched... I watched her get shot. Peterkin was a cop, but she was different. She's helped us so much, JJ, and I ran."
"No, no." JJ reassured, "It wasn't your fault. You tried to help, but you ran for your own safety. She told you to run, right?"
"Yeah, but-"
"Exactly, she told you to run because she cares for you." JJ continued, "She wanted you to finish what we started. To get the Gold. It wasn't your fault."
Aurora nodded, before pausing, "Sarah hasn't called."
"Maybe Rafe took her phone." JJ suggested, "I'm sure she's okay, Rory, she always is."
The two stood in silence, as Aurora thought of Sarah. JJ broke the silence,
"You love her, don't you?"
Aurora shook her head, trying to deny the fact she was completely in love with Sarah. But instead, she shrugged, then nodded, "It's complicated."
"Complicated, how?" JJ questioned curiously, as he leant on the door frame.
Aurora sighed, "When I see her, it's like nothing else matters. I look at her and I'm happy, but when she's with John B she's like a total fucking stranger. We used to be together, but every-time I look at her, it's like we never broke up. The fact that she cheated on me, still hurts, but it doesn't bother me anymore- I just want her again."
JJ paused for a moment, taking all of the information in, "If I were you, I'd just tell her."
"Good idea, JJ." Rory replied sarcastically, "I hadn't thought of that one."
***
Kiara drove the Pogues to the police station, somewhere that Rory would never thought that JB would voluntarily go. They arrived outside, and Pope coughed continually because of the weed JJ gave him.
"Easy there, Chief." JJ patted him on the back, then he looked at John B, "Okay, I'm gonna be real with you right now. You might end up in the lions den, but you don't go there on purpose. It's fundamental. Just like my old man always told me, you should never ever trust cops, no matter what the circumstance is."
"Your old man is an abusive liar." Kiara reminded.
"I agree with JJ." Pope nodded, "Fuck the police."
Kie frowned, "You goin' to the dark side now?"
"When's the last time the police ever helped us?" Pope questioned.
"Peterkin always looked out for me. Tried to, at least." John B blurted out, "They need to know."
"I hate to go against my family's morals here but... Peterkin was never a bad cop." Aurora agreed, "Fuck the police, apart from her."
John B and Aurora cautiously walked into the police station, which was surprisingly empty for the South Side. John B walked up to the front desk, followed by Aurora- who still couldn't believe she was voluntarily at a station.
John B cleared his throat, "Uh... Excuse me, ma'am."
"This is not a good time, kid." The lady replied, as the Deputies spoke on the radio, discussing reports on Peterkin's death.
John B mumbled, "We know who shot the Sherif."
"You stay put." The lady replied, as she stood up quickly, "I'll get a deputy."
The lady ran down the hall, leaving John B and Rory in silence. Due to seeing somebody get shot, the two weren't up for talking anyway. Aurora had never seen John B more upset, except for when Big John went missing.
Shoupe spoke on the radio, "We have a suspect in our 31. John Routledge."
Aurora and John B looked at each other quickly, both sharing a confused and panicked look. John B? Aurora thought, He didn't kill anybody.
Another cop replied, "Copy that. All units, be on the lookout for John B Routldge."
Shoupe replied, "Sixteen year old white male. Six foot. Last seen wearing board shorts, a 'bad brains' t-shirt, and a faded red hoodie."
"Copy that."
The doors quickly opened and two deputies, Plumb and Thomas, cautiously stood in the door frame. Aurora grabbed John B's wrist in fear, stepping in front of him in a protecting manner.
"He didn't do anything." Aurora said shakily, as she held one of her arms out in front of her to make sure the cops stayed calm, "I swear, he didn't do shit."
"Just... breathe. Alright?" Plumb reassured, but still pointed her gun in the direction of the two kids.
"Show me your hands, boy." Deputy Thomas insisted calmly.
Plumb nodded, "John B, do what he says."
John B slowly raised his hands from his pockets in surrender, however, Peterkin's blood covered his palms, "I-I didn't do it...I didn't do it, okay?"
"Don't... move." Thomas said through gritted teeth, noticing the blood and getting angrier, "Don't move!"
Despite the instructions, Aurora tightened her grip on John's wrist and sprinted out of the station. The two deputies chased after them, as Rory and John ran towards Kiara's dad's car.
"Kie! Start the car!" John B yelled, causing the three in the vehicle to panic.
"JJ!" Rory shouted, "Pope! Kie!"
Aurora tugged on the door handle, before Kiara unlocked it and they both threw themselves inside. Sherif Plumb chased after the car, managing to grip into the door handle.
"Shit! Drive!" JJ shouted, "Swerve, Kie!"
"I'm going!" Kiara shouted back, "I'm sorry!"
"Go! Kie, Go!" John B yelled in fear.
"What did you do?" Kiara panicked.
"Open it." Pope insisted to Kiara, then gave a confirmation look to Aurora, who opened the car door- causing the Deputy to roll on the floor.
"You assaulted an officer?" Kiara worried, "They'll file a report, Rory! What were you thinking?"
Aurora panted, trying to catch her breath, "It's nothing I haven't done before."